Keith Elam (born July 17, 1966), better known by his stage nameGuru, is an Americanrapper and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr. Born in the Bostonneighborhood of Roxbury,[note 1] he is known for delivering complex lyrics in a unique monotone style. Members of the hip-hop community consider him to be one of the pioneers of hip hop-jazz crossover. The name Guru is a backronym that stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal and the less often used God is Universal; he is the Ruler Universal, which are both references to the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths.

On February 28, 2010, Guru suffered a cardiac arrest, on March 2, he was reported to be recovering after surgery.[1][2] On March 3, a press release to AllHipHop.com said that he had woken from his coma.[3]

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Background

Founded in 1987, Gang Starr built a sizable following in the early 1990s, releasing classic albums such as Step in the Arena (1991) and Daily Operation (1992). Guru's lyrical style is based on battle rhymes delivered smoothly, modestly, and with sly wit; he typically avoids using overwhelming charisma, focusing instead on his rhyming ability, which developed into his trademark monotone style.[citation needed] Over the years he has even been a mentor to younger emcees, including Jeru the Damaja. He is credited with DJ Premier for being the executive producers of Jeru's debut, The Sun Rises in the East (1994).

Besides Gang Starr, his Jazzmatazz and solo albums, Guru has collaborated with countless artists since the early 90s. Not only in hiphop, but also with artists from various genres such as pop, electronica/dance, acid jazz and even brass bands.

His "first proper solo album", in his own words, was Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005), released with the help of producer and new backup MC Solar (who is not to be confused with MC Solaar from France). The album reached #1 on the college hip-hop charts, but was a failure with both fans and critics. It still managed to sell relatively well for an independent release.

Guru's latest project is the fourth installment in the Jazzmatazz series, entirely produced by Solar. It was released in early June 2007. May 19, 2008 Guru and Solar released Guru 8.0: Lost And Found. All the projects produced by Solar were met with mixed but generally negative reviews by Critics and fans, yet Guru states he will not work with DJ Premier again.[4]

Gang Starr's current status and future are unknown. Guru is currently living in Jersey City, NJ and frequents Newport Skates in downtown Jersey City.